


The Seventh Night of The Seventh Month

by arimi_skywalker



Category: Arashi - Fandom, Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fireworks, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Summer, Tanabata, Yukata - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-12-27 16:38:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arimi_skywalker/pseuds/arimi_skywalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The night of the Tanabata is special and celebrated all over Japan. To Sho and Satoshi, it's even more special because that night fate wanted them to find each other...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Seventh Night of The Seventh Month

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
__Disclaimer : fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to my dears [](http://lauchan.livejournal.com/profile)[**lauchan**](http://lauchan.livejournal.com/) and [](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/profile)[**furokugal**](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/) for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

The doorbell rings and Satoshi runs barefoot to answer it.  
  
He opens the door and greets Sho with a smile that lights up the sky, nervous and excited. Wearing his new _yukata_ , he twirls around.  
  
"How do I look?", he asks.  
  
"New _yukata_!", Sho exclaims. "It looks perfect. But, oh my... What am I going to do now, with this _yukata_ that is at least four or five years old?"  
  
Satoshi can't help but giggle.  
  
"Everything looks good on you, Sho. It doesn't matter if it's old or new"  
  
Sho blushes and gives him a shy smile.  
  
"Do you have the _tanzaku_?"  
  
Satoshi's eyes widen and he looks at him, confused.  
  
"The _tanzaku_? I thought you were in charge of them"  
  
"Eh? I was in charge of the bamboo, wasn't I?", Sho replies, holding up a branch of bamboo in his hand. "I thought we said the _tanzaku_ were your responsibility"  
  
Satoshi laughs and pulls two strips of colored paper out of his sleeve.  
  
"I remembered, don't worry"  
  
Sho sighs in relief and looks at him, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"You like to make me suffer"  
  
"It's funny to see you all stressed out when things are out of your control"  
  
"God, you're evil", laughs Sho.  
  
Satoshi laughs again, but the gleam in his eyes gives him away.  
  
Although he likes to tease him, the truth is his whole body vibrates every time he sees Sho.  
  
Since their chance meeting, on one Tanabata night years ago, Sho has always been the most important person in his life, the one he wants to take care of and make happy until the end of their days. Because when Sho smiles, Satoshi's world stops spinning and time ceases to exist. For Satoshi, Sho is so precious and special he can't imagine life without him  
  
Without his smile, without his little quirks.  
  
Satoshi knows Sho worries about everything, naturally. It's a part of his character. He, on the other hand, tends to be the exact opposite; more carefree, but that has never been a problem. Satoshi is touched by the way Sho distresses over the littlest things and how he's always weighing his decisions, trying to do the right thing, so his future and the future of those around him is better. Many times, that part of Sho has made Satoshi realize important things he would have never thought about otherwise, and Satoshi feels it's one of the many things he has Sho to thank for.  
  
"Do you want to come inside to write your wish?", Satoshi says, offering one of the strips of colored paper.  
  
Sho nods with a smile that lights up his face.  
  
"I would love to, if it's not too much trouble"  
  
"Oh, Sho", Satoshi replies, rolling his eyes. "You know you don't have to be so formal with me. Come on, come in"  
  
Satoshi grabs Sho's hand and leads him inside the house, dragging him to the living room, where he has two markers already on the table.  
  
"Well! This is a surprise", Sho says.  
  
"For once, I wanted to be the one to have everything planned and prepared"  
  
Sho is dying of love for Satoshi and his heart feels as though it might explode at any moment, but he knows he has to control himself. Only a few more hours and he will be able to give free rein to his feelings, after all these years.  
  
"Here", Satoshi says, already kneeling on the table, handing him one of the markers. "Sit down, come on, we're going to be late"  
  
"Ah... sorry..."  
  
Sho leaves the bamboo branch on the couch and hurries to kneel down in front of the table, next to Satoshi, who is already writing his wish on the _tanzaku_. Sho can't help but watch him with fascination. Satoshi's calligraphy has always been beautiful, but that day he's paying special attention to forming every _kanji_ with precision. Sho can't read what it says, but the lines on Satoshi's _tanzaku_ have a natural harmony that make them beautiful by themselves; there's no need to know what's written on them.  
  
"Copying is not allowed", Satoshi laughs, covering his _tanzaku_.  
  
Sho laughs at Satoshi's tenderness and begins writing on his own _tanzaku_.  
  
His calligraphy is nowhere near as beautiful as Satoshi's, but he has chosen a poem which he thinks is appropriate for the occasion and writes it down with a smile on his lips, hoping the wish he writes at the very end will come true.

 

 

恋ひ恋ひて  
Koikoite  
_(Desperately longed for,)_  
  
逢ふ夜はこよひ  
Au yo wa koyoi  
_(The night we meet is tonight)_  
  
天の河  
Ama no kawa  
_(River of Heaven,)_  
  
霧たちわたり  
Kiri tachi-watari  
_(May the mists envelop you)_  
  
あけずもあらなむ  
Akezu mo aranamu  
_(So that daybreak never comes)_

_"I wish that our daybreak never comes"_

 

  
Satoshi glances over at Sho, who is writing on his _tanzaku_ with a fine and organized calligraphy. Maybe it doesn't seem particularly beautiful upon first sight, but there isn't a single stroke out of place. Sho's _kanji_ are correct and elegant. It couldn't be any other way, coming from him.  
  
Satoshi takes another look at his _tanzaku_ and reviews it.

 

  
久方の  
Hisakata no  
_(Oh ferryboatman)_  
  
天の河原の  
Ama no kawara no  
_(On the bank of the Endless)_  
  
わたしもり  
Watashimori  
_(River of Heaven,)_  
  
君わたりなば  
Kimi watarinaba  
_(If my lord has crossed over,)_  
  
楫かくしてよ  
Kaji kakushite yo  
_(Keep your oar hidden away!)_

_"I wish that my lord crosses over tonight"_

 

  
"Done", says Sho, picking up his _tanzaku_ and admiring it, with a smile still on his lips. "My handwriting is terrible, but I think it will do"  
  
Satoshi can't help but laugh, grabbing his own _tanzaku_.  
  
"Shall we tie them to the bamboo?", he asks.  
  
"OK"  
  
The two men tie their _tanzaku_ using a thin white thread that Satoshi had bought the day before, along with the markers. Sho takes the chance to observe the graceful movement of Satoshi's hands, skillfully handling the thread, while Satoshi takes the chance to observe Sho's focused expression as he ties his _tanzaku_ to the branch.  
  
They look at each other and smile at almost the same time.  
  
"I think we can go now", Sho says.  
  
Satoshi nods and stands up.  
  
When he tries to grab the bamboo branch, Sho says he will carry it and they leave Satoshi's house together. As they walk to the Tanabata Matsuri, their hands tremble and their eyes sparkle. The two of them are excited and, even though it's still early, they're dying to see the display of fireworks that will take place later that night.  
  
"Are you nervous?", Sho asks.  
  
"Yes, a little", Satoshi replies, shyly.  
  
"I'm nervous too"  
  
Satoshi nods, thinking that if only Sho knew that his nervousness is not due to the fireworks, but because of the smile he's devoting to him...  
  
"The Tanabata... is a special night...", he says.  
  
"Yes, it is"  
  
Sho smiles to himself, thinking that if only Satoshi knew he doesn't consider that night special because of the legend of the stars, but because it's the night they met...  
  
It's been several years since Sho found Satoshi. Or maybe it was Satoshi who found Sho. Ever since that day, the night of the Tanabata has always been special. It's their night, Sho and Satoshi's, and this year is even more special because Sho has decided it is the day he will be brave and confess his love to Satoshi. And let whatever happens happen. Satoshi might not feel the same and everything might end up in a disaster, but Sho feels he can't hold back any longer. He can't keep asking his heart to be silent when he's dying to shout from any roof-top that he is in love with Satoshi.  
  
When they reach the area where the _matsuri_ is held, all the decorations are in place and _tanzaku_ of all shapes and colors hang from the bamboos. Some of them are amazing works of art in the shape of different _origami_ that make Sho glance down at his plain _tanzaku_ with a little bit of sorrow, wishing he was able to create those beautiful shapes and surprise Satoshi with them.  
  
" _Origami_ is not easy"  
  
Sho is surprised and wonders if Satoshi is able to read his mind.  
  
It's not the first time it's happened, sometimes it seems as though Sho and Satoshi are able to communicate without the need for words, but Sho never ceases to find it both fascinating and surprising.  
  
"It looks complicated", he replies. "But beautiful..."  
  
Together they walk past the area reserved to watch the fireworks, where there already are several people saving themselves a spot, and they head down the riverbank. It's a little far from the main viewing area, but their experiences from years past have proven that they can enjoy the show just the same from there and avoid the anxiety of having to be hemmed in by a crowd, feeling almost like prisoners.  
  
The hours pass almost without them noticing and they're startled by the sound of the first explosion, that fills the sky with a thousand red sparks.  
  
"It's finally starting!", Satoshi exclaims.  
  
After an hour and a half of explosions of all colors, shapes and sizes, the night becomes silent for a few short moments. Then, the whistling of rockets shooting into the sky is heard again and several explosions light up the sky, all at the same time, in a line of glittering _kanji_.

 

  
智、愛してる  
Satoshi, aishiteru  
(Satoshi, I love you)

 

  
Satoshi takes a moment to realize the Satoshi written in the sky is, in fact, him.  
  
He looks at Sho. His heart is ready to leap out of his chest.  
  
"I love you...", Sho whispers, an intense look in his eyes.  
  
Something clicks in Satoshi's mind, and he jumps up, taking hold of Sho's hand.  
  
"Grab the bamboo. We have to put it in the river"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
Sho doesn't understand.  
  
"Quickly", says Satoshi. "Before the magic breaks"  
  
Sho still doesn't understand a thing, but he grabs the bamboo and approaches the river. There, Satoshi takes it from him and, while still holding onto Sho's hand, he bends down to gently place it in the water.  
  
"Now our wishes will come true...", he whispers with a smile.  
  
Sho crouches beside him and watches the bamboo branch slowly float down the river.  
  
"What wish did you make that you so urgently want it to come true?"  
  
"That my lord will cross the River of Heaven today and that the ferryboatman on the shore will hide his oar away"  
  
"Like Orihime, so that Hikoboshi will always stay with her..."  
  
Satoshi nods and, just as he's about to turn around, Sho suddenly lets go of his hand.  
  
"The bamboo!", he exclaims.  
  
The bamboo is being tilted because of the river's current, causing the _tanzaku_ to get wet. Sho runs a few meters downstream, until he's caught up with it, and he then kneels down and reaches out as far as he can, trying to grab it.  
  
"Sho!", Satoshi yells, running after him. "Be careful! Don't fall into--"  
  
The current has caused the bamboo to drift away from the riverbank just enough so that Sho's arm isn't quite long enough to reach it, but Sho is stubborn and refuses to give up. He fights on, reaching out until he gets close enough to touch the bamboo with the tips of his fingers, but loses his balance and ends up tumbling into the water.  
  
"--the river", Satoshi finishes his sentence too late.  
  
The river isn't very deep. When Sho surfaces and stands to his feet, the water only reaches his waist, but it's still enough for him to be completely soaked, from head to toe. He brushes the dripping hair off of his face, wipes his eyes and looks at himself.  
  
"Are you OK?", Satoshi asks, blinking.  
  
Sho's _yukata_ is soaked and, with the weight of the water, has opened a little, exposing some of his chest.  
  
He looks up, ashamed.  
  
Satoshi bursts out laughing. He takes a few steps back and runs into the river, with his arm out and his fist held high in the air.  
  
" _Chesutoooooooooo_!", he yells, just before ducking under the water.  
  
When he comes back to the surface and dries his eyes, Sho is no longer ashamed. He's the one laughing now, thoroughly amused, and that previous sparkle has returned to his eyes. A sparkle that gives the feeling of a hundred butterflies fluttering playfully in his stomach.  
  
He moves closer to Sho and wraps his arms around his neck. Sho wraps his arms around Satohi's waist.  
  
"My wish has come true", says Satoshi. "My lord crossed over the river on this magical night... and I hope the ferryboatman has hidden his oar very well... because I'm not willing to let him go. Ever"  
  
"My wish has come true as well", Sho replies. "I asked for the mists to envelop the River of Heaven so that tonight, our night, never ends and our time together is eternal"  
  
Satoshi looks at him with an intensity that Sho has never seen before, and smiles at him with a mixture of mischievousness and shyness. And Sho knows there's no turning back. Satoshi is the person he wants to share the rest of his life with.  
  
He leans in slightly and their lips meet.  
  
Their hearts beat. Their bodies tremble.  
  
Their souls become one.  
  
  
_AN :  
Sho and Satoshi's poems about the Tanabata aren't mine. They're by anonymous writers._


End file.
